MSU's Branden Dawson throws down a dunk against Harvard's Kyle Casey in their NCAA tournament game in Spokane, WA Saturday 3/22 /2014. (Lansing State Journal/Rod Sanford)

Written by

Joe Rexrode
Gannett Michigan

Michigan State has a way of making it look easy, and it has a way of giving it up just as easily.

But the Spartans will play on, and they'll gladly leave Spokane Arena for the Sweet 16 despite the turbulent ride, just as they did the last time they visited here. Saturday's 80-73 escape of Harvard wasn't quite as dramatic as a win over Maryland in 2010 on a Korie Lucious buzzer beater, but it involved a similar collapse and recovery - a blown 16-point lead in the second half, then a 20-11 run to end the game after falling behind briefly by two.